The demand for greater transparency and coordinated efforts to eliminate fraud in the digital advertising supply chain has become a rallying cry across the industry. Google announced several measures it is taking to address concerns of media buyers using its demand-side platform, DoubleClick Bid Manager (DBM). [Source: MARTECH TODAY]

Beginning last week, Google started limiting ads on search results pages for drug and alcohol treatment center queries. With the worsening opioid addiction crisis in the US, demand for treatment programs has surged. A lack of regulation and treatment standards, coupled with outsized demand and new insurance mandates, creates an environment ripe for abuse. [Source: Search Engine Land]

Facebook announced the ability for advertisers to target their campaigns based on a user’s employer and education will be removed from the advertising platform. The decision comes after ProPublica, an investigative reporting publication, found that advertisers could target discriminatory groups such as “Jew Haters” and “NaziParty” in their ad campaigns. [Source: Social Media Today]

After introducing its Creative Partner program in January 2017 with seven companies validated as Snapchat ad-creation specialists, Snapchat has added 14 more firms to the list. The expansion also broadens the scope of the program’s capabilities to better serve direct-response advertisers. [Source: Marketing Land]

Ad extensions help to provide more context than the ad titles and descriptions — typically giving advertisers a boost when it comes to click-through rate. Previously, call-only ads did not display these ad extensions, but now, call-only ads will be eligible for three extension types. [Source: Search Engine Land]

Here’s an interesting consideration for Instagram marketers – some users have reported seeing tests of a new grid layout in the app which displays posts four columns wide, instead of the current three. [Source: Social Media Today]

As part of their ongoing effort to get people engaging on Facebook more often, Facebook’s looking to add more ways to connect people in real-time, with more updates and indicators to show you when people are active. [Source: Social Media Today]

Expert Opinion:

Digital as a savior for your wealth creation dream – in the era of reducing rate of interest.

The Mutual Fund industry has seen a substantial growth in the past few years due to many positive trends working for the Economy! Digital channels have played a key role in enhancing the awareness of Mutual Fund products and on the uptake as well. The Mutual Fund companies and various established as well as startup financial advisors have been helping customers realise the true potential of their money by explaining wealth creation concepts in much simpler and convincing ways. The recent changes in financial policies have affected the rate of returns for consumers. Interest rates on Savings account and Fixed Deposits now fetch lower returns compared to the past and this has resulted in the post-tax returns getting impacted as well. Because of the same, many customers have now started to look at Mutual Funds as the alternative to Savings as well as Investment option which can help them realise their goals be it steady income to wealth creation.

Mutual funds have now become mainstream investment option for many customers as they are turning up in large numbers be in SIP in Equity schemes or some of the Liquid Fund based mobile applications which gives customers an option to save and withdraw instantly as and when needed.

Technology has impacted the Asset Management business significantly. Also, recent demonetization has given a positive boost to this industry by triggering e-transactions and increasing the awareness about digital as a fast and effective channel. Considering the busy lifestyle of the new age consumers, digital seems to be very convenient medium to reach out to these users and provide them options for their financial management. Also, the widened penetration of internet and the increasing number of users adopting digital ways makes this a lucrative channel to reach out to consumers. Over time, people have started trusting in digital channels for the convenience and ease of processing it offers.

Some of the trends which will further increase the penetration of Mutual Funds through digital channels include:

– Paperless KYC: E-KYC and C-KYC would help many new Mutual Fund Customers to seamlessly start investing, virtually without any paperwork

– E-Mandate: NPCI along with all the leading banks would help customers register their SIP with the bank much more seamlessly which would increase SIP penetration in a big way

– Smart phone and 4G penetration: With the advent of smart phones in virtually everyone’s hand and a powerful 4G data network, the newer set of customers would come from smaller towns who would find it much more convenient to get introduced to Mutual Funds and start benefitting out of it.

– Advent of Payments Bank and Small Finance Banks would bring out many more use cases for the customers and hence increase overall penetration of the segment

A lot of industry experts also believe that going digital will be the new age mantra for expanding the mutual funds industry. The assets under management (AUM) of the industry are currently at around 20 lakh crore and expected to reach around 94 lakh crore by 2025. To thrive and continue growing in today’s Digital era, companies will adapt to the digital environment and align their processes accordingly.